


Soft & Sleepy

by LorHorse



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), No Smut, One Shot, Sleepy Cuddles, basically just Ben and Rey being cute and pining a tiny bit, they cuddle and sleep mostly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24379480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LorHorse/pseuds/LorHorse
Summary: Nightmares plague Rey’s every sleeping moment, and Kylo Ren can feel them all.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 77





	Soft & Sleepy

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is just a quick one shot that has been in my head for a bit. I hope you like it!

The nightmares always started the same way.

Rey would watch her parents turn their backs on her and walk away, not even turning back to get a last look at their daughter. She would fall to the scorching sand and plead with them to come back, tears streaming down her face. They never did.

From there, the scene would change. Sometimes one of Plutt’s lackeys would take her from her dilapidated ATAT Walker, kicking and screaming, and do horrendous things to her. Sometimes she would watch from afar as a darker version of herself ignited a red lightsaber and ran it through everyone she loved: Finn, Poe, Leia.

But the worst one by far was the one that featured Kylo Ren. They would be back in Snoke’s throne room, Rey once again kneeling in front of him, at his mercy. Each time, he would look at her with fondness, and each time, she believed that he would kill Snoke as he had done in reality. Each time she was wrong. She would feel the searing pain of his lightsaber impaling itself in her chest and she would look into his eyes and see pure hatred. Hatred for her. Somehow that always hurt more than the wound.

Then she would wake up, sweating and screaming in phantom pain. She could never fall back to sleep afterward.

************

Kylo awoke to a pain in his chest, tears that weren’t his collecting in his eyes. He panted for breath, sitting up and pushing the sheets off of his body.

Kylo hadn’t had an uninterrupted night of sleep since that fateful day in Snoke’s throne room, but not due to his own nightmares. No, because of Rey’s. He never saw them, just woke up with his heart pounding in his chest and sweat beading on his temple.

He sighed, standing up and turning on a light. It cast shadows on the durasteel walls as he paced back and forth in the small space. It always took him an hour or more to get back to sleep and he could imagine it took Rey even longer. Despite plaguing him with her nightly awakenings, the Force had yet to connect them.  _ I can’t keep waking up in the middle of the night. _

Ben went to his datapad and pulled up the pages on force bonds that he had scanned but never taken the time to read.  _ I might as well use this time to figure out how I can connect us on command. _

************

It was two weeks later when Kylo finally managed to reach out with the Force and connect himself to Rey. He had been awoken in the middle of the night every night since he had begun working on their connection.

When he saw Rey sitting up in her bed, which he could see oddly enough, he was startled. He hadn’t expected the connection to work. It took her a moment to notice him but he knew the minute she did. Her face contorted with disgust and she inched away from him and towards the headboard of her small bed. 

“Why are you here?” She asked angrily, surreptitiously wiping at a tear that was leftover from her nightmare. 

“You’ve been waking me up every night with your nightmares so I worked on being able to control our connection,” Kylo said, his voice full of pragmatism. “I didn’t really think about what I would do when I got here.”

Rey looked at him suspiciously. “Well I don’t want you here. Break the connection and leave me alone. Sorry I’ve been waking you up but I don’t really have a say in the matter.”

Kylo hummed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well that’s the thing. I don’t know how. We’re just going to have to wait for it to break on its own.”

Rey groaned and pulled the sheets up further on her body. “You’re telling me you connected us without any idea on how to break it? This is just fantastic.” She glared at him.

“Can I at least sit down? I’d rather not stand here all night.” Kylo could have sat on his own bed a few feet away but he didn’t mention that.

“Fine,” Rey grumbled, pulling her legs towards herself and wrapping her arms around them as he sat down.

They sat there awkwardly for a long time, neither breaking the silence as Kylo sat ramrod straight on the edge of the bed. Eventually, Rey took pity on him.

“Just come sit up here for kriff’s sake. You look like you’re at a funeral.”

Kylo crept up the small bed and propped himself against the headboard, taking care not to touch Rey at all. He could feel her eyes on him as he tilted his head to look at the ceiling, revealing the column of his throat, and closed his eyes.

************

Kylo had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, indicated by the evening out of his breathing. Rey took the moment to look at him, really look at him, for the first time in her life. He was so peaceful in his sleep, long lashes resting on his cheekbones, mouth parted slightly.  _ He’s beautiful. _ The thought tore through Rey, shocking her to the core.  _ No, he’s my enemy. I refuse to think about him like that. _

Rey was pulled out of her inner musings as Kylo’s head dropped to the side and came to rest on her shoulder, his inky-black hair tickling her cheek. Rey’s breath caught in her throat and she unconsciously leaned towards him, her head resting on his own. She exhaled deeply and closed her eyes, trying to think about anything but the man with his head on her shoulder.

It was the first night she fell back asleep after her nightmare.

************

When Rey awoke in the morning, Ben was gone. 

She couldn’t find it in her to be disappointed, especially because she was more rested than she had been in months. Everyone noticed her good mood, especially Finn.

“What’s gotten into you Peanut?” He asked at breakfast. “I haven’t seen you smile this much since…well ever!”

Rey searched for an explanation. She couldn’t say that  _ Kylo Ren _ had shown up in her room and that she had slept on his shoulder.  _ And that it was the best sleep I’ve had in ages. _ She shook the thought away.  _ He is my enemy. I will not think of him that way. _ It was the second time she’d had to remind herself of that in the past day.

She just shrugged. “I slept really well.”

Finn looked at her suspiciously and Rey was worried he could see through the lie.  _ Though it’s not really a lie. I  _ did _ sleep very well. _ Instead, he just nodded in response and went back to his food.

************

When Kylo Ren was thrown awake that night, he knew what to do. He opened up the bond, focusing on Rey and her energy. When he opened his eyes she was there, shoulders heaving with every desperate breath she took. His heart constricted at the sight of her that panicked.

When she looked up and saw him standing there, her sporadic breaths calmed minutely and her glazed eyes refocused. She scooted over on the bed, her intention obvious. Kylo settled down on the small space she created for him gingerly.

“I still don’t like you,” she said, but the sleepiness in her eyes and her small, hunched frame made the statement very unthreatening.

“I know,” Kylo responded.

Rey still looked haunted, but she slipped lower into the sheets so they were pulled up to her chin. Kylo remained above the blankets, thinking that getting under them would be crossing a boundary, but he scooted down until his body was flat on the bed. Well, as flat as his large form could be on the small bed. His legs hung off the edge.

He turned to look at Rey and was met with the sight of her large, brown eyes staring at him. She looked so vulnerable in the moment that Kylo had a strong urge to protect her. To wrap her in his arms and shield her from the world.  _ She would kill me if I tried that. _

Instead, he pillowed his head on his arm and closed his eyes, focusing on evening out his breathing.

After a few minutes, he felt Rey shift. Her forehead came to rest lightly against the arm his head was on and her small hand delicately encircled his other arm. His breathing nearly stopped at the contact and when she sighed quietly he could barely restrain himself from just pulling her into his body and holding her close.  _ I must be going crazy, _ was his last thought before he drifted off.

************

Much to his disappointment, Kylo awoke in his own bed, the phantom heat of Rey’s hands still on his bicep.

Memories from the night before flooded his mind, most notably his barely restrained desire to pull Rey into his arms and just hold her there.  _ Why am I thinking these things? What is wrong with me? _

He threw his blankets off and stalked to the refresher to take a shower. He needed to wash off her touch or it would haunt him throughout the day, something he couldn’t afford. He had no time to be distracted.

************

It was the second morning in a row that Rey woke well rested.

As much as she wanted to deny it, there was one constant between the two nights.  _ Ben. No, Kylo Ren, _ she corrected.

The night before she hadn’t been able to resist touching him, even just a little bit. He was just so warm and solid and  _ there _ . And there wasn’t any harm in curling her hand around his arm, was there?

It had been an odd experience, to drift off while hearing his breaths and touching his skin. It felt decidedly intimate, like something that would be done between lovers.  _ Not that I would know. And not that I would want that feeling with Kylo Ren. _

Nevertheless, that was how it had felt in the moment. The contact had both made her thrum with an unfamiliar sensation and calmed her to the point of sleep. Yes, it had been odd.

When Rey went to bed that night, it was in anticipation for what was to come.

************

When Rey’s bed appeared in Kylo’s bedroom that night, she had already made space for him on the bed next to her.

His attire was the most informal he had worn in her presence by far. His shirt was standard cotton and his pants were made of a soft material, tied around his waist with a drawstring. His feet were bare and his hair was still damp from his pre-bed shower.

Her wet eyes stayed trained on him for longer than usual, and he could swear she was looking him up and down, taking in his outfit.  _ No. Of course she isn’t. _

He padded over to the bed, his feet cold from the durasteel floor. The blanket was pulled back, as if to provide him access to get under it. He took a long look at Rey and then slid under the blanket, his bare feet touching her leg and making them both shiver. Rey had the excuse that his feet were cold. Kylo had no excuse.

He threaded his fingers together and placed his hands on his stomach, atop the covers. He could feel Rey’s eyes on him as he closed his eyes. They hadn’t spoken a single word to each other.

************

Rey stared at Kylo’s large form on the bed next to her. It was almost comical how large he was compared to her small bed.  _ And compared to me. _ The thought fluttered through her mind and her cheeks darkened.

She watched him for a long time as his breaths evened out and his mouth parted slightly to release them. He was so serene in the depths of sleep, the hard lines of his face softening noticeably. The urge to touch him returned, powerful and striking. She didn’t know where it came from but she knew she wasn’t able to fight it. Not when she was so tired.

She scooted closer to him tentatively, watching for any signs indicating that he was awakening. His breaths remained steady, his chest rising and falling in even patterns. Her eyes pinned themselves to his chest and her body ached for her to lay her head there.  _ Riia help me, I think I’ve lost my mind. _

She moved towards him slowly, resting her body right next to his and slowly lowering her head to his chest. It felt like a breach of privacy but it also felt so  _ right _ . His breaths tickled the top of her head and she could heart his strong heartbeat in his chest. It was an oddly comforting sound.

She fell asleep there, her head rising and falling slightly with every deep breath he took.

************

When Kylo awoke, there was a weight on his chest. He tensed, wondering at the weird sensation before realizing he was still in Rey’s bed, not his own. Not only was he in her bed, but her head was resting on his chest.

His eyes widened in surprise and he fought the urge to wrap his arm around her small frame. She was on her side, her legs pressed to his and one of her hands was resting atop his still interlocked hands. His heart stuttered in his chest at the picture she made, her hair splayed across his chest. Fierce protectiveness rose in him, unbidden, and he fought to suppress it before he did something he’d regret.

He was still basking in the feeling of her body against his when he felt the Force connection start to slip away. He scrambled to reconnect them but failed and found himself in his own bed. He mourned the fact that he would not get to see her wake up, all messy hair and sleepy eyes.

************

Rey woke feeling rested and content. The sheets under her head were still warm, indicating that the bond had only been severed recently.  _ What if he woke up and left because of our position?  _ The thought made her pulse race.  _ No. He said he didn’t know how to break the bond. He may not have even been awake before it disconnected us. _

As she went about her day, Rey decided something.  _ I will make him tell me how to instigate the bond tonight when he comes. _ It was shocking how quickly she had made his appearance something she counted on. He had only come for three nights. It was possible that he wouldn’t come tonight.

And yet, she found herself hoping he would. Against all odds, she had lost almost all of her resentment towards Kylo Ren. Maybe it was seeing him in his sleep, where he looked more human. Maybe it was that voice in her head that told her to be close to him every chance she got. It had only taken three nights for Rey to go soft towards Kylo Ren.  _ Ben. I will not call him that horrendous name. _

************

When he arrived that night, she was already calmed down from her nightmare. She moved over to give him room on the bed but stopped him before he laid down.

“I want you to teach me how to open the Force bond.” Her voice was raspy from sleep and she cleared her throat as he looked at her with wide eyes.

“Ok,” he eventually recovered. His voice was also affected by sleep, but instead of being raspy it was just deeper. Rey hadn’t thought that was possible.

“Close your eyes,” he commanded.

She looked at him skeptically before complying. 

“Now focus on our bond, how the Force flows between us, how we are one.” His voice wrapped around her, making her woozy. Something about hearing him without seeing him made her prickle with anticipation. Anticipation for what, she wasn’t sure. His hand came to rest on her bare ankle.

“It may be easier to focus with a physical connection as well.”

_ It’s not,  _ she wanted to say.  _ All it does is make it harder to focus. _

She kept her eyes closed and made an effort to focus on the bond.

“Now, think about seeing me. Take that connection and try to solidify it.”

Pictures rose in Rey’s mind, unbidden. Ben’s head on her shoulder. How he looked with his drawstring pants hanging low on his hips. The solidness of his chest.

Nothing happened.

“Of course, we are connected right now so doing that isn’t going to make anything happen, but that’s what you need to do when we’re apart if you want to see me.”

Rey flushed. It was as if he had read her mind or sensed her disappointment. She cleared her throat and opened her eyes. 

His face was less than a foot from hers. She could see that his pupils were blown wide, most likely from the darkness of the room. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as his eyes dropped down to hers. A shiver went through her.

_ I want to kiss him. _ The thought startled her and she blinked and pulled back quickly, as though the idea had burned her. Ben’s shoulders hunched.

Rey had never wanted to kiss anyone. The only experience she’d ever had with kissing was catching Finn and Poe doing it in a corridor. Embarrassment was the only emotion she associated with that memory.

Rey starred as Ben settled down onto the bed, laying on his back. His eyes fluttered shut and he let out a quiet sigh. Rey was still sitting up.

Her mind was still racing as she moved to follow suit and lay down as well. In the process, she made up her mind and leaned over Ben, brushing her lips over his forehead.

His eyes opened and he looked at her, enraptured, as she slid down into the covers and curled up on her side, facing him. She closed her eyes and tried to get control of her breathing. Her pulse was erratic, thrumming with adrenaline after kissing Ben. It wasn’t even a proper kiss and she had been rendered a mess.

Her breath caught when a large hand pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. His calloused fingers brushed her cheek, rough skin on soft. As he pulled back, she caught his hand with hers, keeping her eyes closed. She pulled it closer to her chest and felt him shift onto his side.

She didn’t let it go as she drifted off.

************

Rey was warm. It was odd, considering the base the Resistance was currently settled in was on Mygeeto, known for its frigid temperatures. The base was decent at keeping the cold at bay, but Rey certainly shouldn’t have been warm.

She cracked open an eye and was met with a sight of black fabric. In the night, Rey had shifted closer to Ben but had not let go of his arm. Her legs were pressed along his and her face was only a few inches from his chest. His body heat was potent enough to heat her from a few inches away, not that Rey was complaining.

Her body gravitated towards his on its own accord and his scent wrapped around her. He smelled of pine and soap, along with the faintest notes of smoke. It was entirely too addictive and Rey found herself moving closer to make it stronger.

It was only when she was almost fully pressed up against him, separated solely by the arm she was clutching in her hands, that Rey realized what she was doing. 

Ben shifted, his mouth opening wide in a yawn.

Rey shut her eyes hastily before she could even process what she was doing. Her first reaction had been to fake sleep and avoid the entire situation, so that’s what she did.

She could feel Ben’s eyes on her, burning a hole in her skull as she tried to lay as still as possible. He shifted minutely next to her, getting impossibly closer.

Rey felt his nose brush the crown of his head before his full lips landed on her forehead softly. They rested there for a moment as Rey’s heart pounded in her chest. It felt like a bird trying to take flight.

When he pulled away, she couldn’t resist opening her eyes. The deep, brown pools of his eyes met hers as she blinked her eyes open and she felt a moment of deja vu from the previous night. He looked startled for a moment before one of the edges of his mouth turned up slightly in the closest thing to a smile Rey had ever seen from the man.

Before Rey could savor the tender moment, his large form was fading from view. She scrambled to sit up as the solid weight of his arm in her hand lightened. He was gone.

************

Kylo was laying in his own bed, alone.

His frustration with the situation was marginally lessened by the fact that he had woken up next to Rey. She had looked breathtaking with her messy hair and tired eyes. Kylo’s heart had threatened to burst at the tender look she gave him after he kissed her forehead.

The previous night when she had done so, he had been so startled that he could not enjoy it. He had woken with the intense urge to be close to her, closer than she already was, practically snuggled up to his side.

He had hovered above her head, looking down at her face fondly before breathing in the floral scent of her hair and then placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

That moment would fuel him as he sat through tedious meetings and dealt with the insolence of Hux. The entire crew noticed his temper had diminished recently and though nobody knew what had caused the change, they were grateful for it.

************

That night when Kylo was just settling in to sleep, Rey appeared in his bedroom.

She looked at him shyly as he sat up, sheets pooling around his waist. Her eyes traced his bare chest, which he would generally cover before appearing to her. Kylo tried not to blush under her scrutiny but he could feel the tips of his ears burning.

When her gaze returned to his face, he scooted over in his bed. His legs actually fit on it and it was large enough that they could both fit comfortably. Kylo felt a stab of disappointment that Rey wouldn’t have a reason to sleep close to him as she approached the bed and sat down gingerly.

************

Rey sat on the edge of Ben’s bed, her mind whirling. The whole room smelled like him and it made her dizzy in the best way possible.

Her face heated as she remembered ogling his bare chest and she laid down far away from the man in question.

“I thought it would make more sense if I just came now so you don’t have to in the middle of the night. I wasn’t even sure it would work.” Rey turned her head to look at Ben. His piercing gaze was on her and he nodded and cleared his throat.

“Yes, that makes sense.”

Rey looked away from him and shivered. The ship was cold and she was only wearing a thin shirt and thin leggings. 

Ben pulled up on the covers, offering for her to get under them. She did and then rested her head against the pillow. It was slightly damp from his wet hair resting on it before she arrived and it smelled so strongly of him that Rey couldn’t resist taking a deep breath.

She shivered again, not because of the cold this time, and felt Ben scoot closer to her. His heat invaded her space and she realized he must have interpreted her shiver as being from the temperature.

She met his eyes and saw a conflicted look in them before resolve formed. He slowly gathered her in his arms and pulled her to his chest, one hand wrapping around her waist and the other supporting the back of her head.

Surprise was overridden by contentment and Rey smiled into Ben’s chest.  _ He’s holding me. I am in Ben Solo’s arms. _

Rey’s whole body was screaming with disbelief and giddiness.

Ben nuzzled the top of her head and let out a deep exhale that ruffled her hair. They didn’t speak as Rey slowly started to drift off.

It was the first night since the throne room that she didn’t have a nightmare.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed and if you did please consider leaving kudos or even a comment! Also, tell me if you catch any spelling errors so I can fix them!  
> I am currently working on a multi chapter Rey/Ben story but I don’t want to begin posting until I have a lot pre-written. When I post it feel free to check it out!  
> Thanks for reading :)


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